Move to release kids in detention centres

Children would be removed from Australian immigration detention centres and workers would be forced to report any abuse under changes to government legislation made by the Senate.

But the immigration minister would have to consider the public interest when releasing anyone from detention and could not give a tick for relocation in the event of an adverse security ruling.

The Greens won Labor and crossbench support for a series of amendments to a technical migration bill on Monday, which would also require the minister to grant reasonable media access and release details of any declined applications.

The changes also clarify that detention workers, like doctors, can reveal details about what goes on inside the centres without fear of prosecution.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said it was about time children were released from detention.

"It is a national shame that we have kept them locked up, that we have effectively stolen this amount of time from their childhood," she told the parliament.

Labor amended the Greens changes to inject ministerial discretion into the decision to release children in hopes of reducing any national security risk from dangerous parents.